Community Development Lead (Pilot Project)
Barton Park Primary School, Oxford, OX3 9WN24 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2026
Closing date
3 August 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
10 July 2026
Job details
Job role
- Administration, HR, data and finance
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Part time
Contract type
- Fixed term
Full-time equivalent salary
- £26,834.00 Annually (FTE) Actual monthly salary is £303.93pcm for 6 hours per week
Community Development Lead (Pilot Project) job summary
While the buildings of Barton Park are going up, the community infrastructure is still catching up. We believe that a true sense of belonging is vital for good mental health. Our school is launching an exciting 20-week pilot project to transform our school community hall into a vibrant daytime hub where local residents can connect, socialise, and thrive.
We are looking for an outgoing, self-motivated, and creative Community Development Lead to spearhead this pilot. You will be the bridge between our school and the wider estate, focusing particularly on supporting single parents, young families, and those new to the country.
The Role:
Research & Connect: Talk to parents, residents, and local partners to find out what classes and support groups they want.
Launch & Run: Establish a weekly community drop-in cafe/session and help set up activities like pre-school playgroups or conversational language classes.
Promote: Run a hyper-local marketing campaign using social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), WhatsApp groups, leafleting, and banners.
What skills / experience are required
Essential Experience, knowledge and skills
Experience working with the public, community groups, or in a customer-facing role.
Experience using social media platforms effectively.
Understanding of the barriers faced by isolated groups (e.g., single parents, new immigrants).
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.
Highly organised with good IT and administrative skills.
Commitment to safeguarding, health & safety, and data protection.
Desirable Experience, knowledge and skills
Experience in community development, networking, or project management.
Experience working within a school or community charity setting.
Experience of a system such as “Buffer” to schedule social media posts.
Knowledge of the Barton / Oxford local community landscape and local partners.
Ability to analyse basic data (tracking attendance and feedback.
What We Offer:
A dedicated office space in the school building with limited administrative support and the friendship of a great school staff.
Direct weekly development meetings with the Headteacher and School Business Manager.
A chance to shape a project from the ground up—if this pilot succeeds, we intend to bid for long-term National Lottery funding to extend the role.
Education has the power to change lives, communities and society for the better. At RLT we believe that we can achieve more for our pupils, trainees, staff and communities by working together rather than alone. Schools in RLT are united by a common belief in the benefits of working together, and by our commitment to shared principles.
OUR VISION is for our schools and SCITT to improve rapidly, continuously and sustainably: to be better faster together.
OUR ‘WHY?’ is that children and young people ‘only get one go’ in school and therefore as part of RLT we aim to ensure the best possible ‘go’ for our pupils.
OUR ‘HOW?’ is through the highest support and challenge for our schools and each other, underpinned by our principles.
Our employees benefit from a wide variety of support including extensive continuing professional learning and development opportunities, wellbeing and staff networks and access to Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (TPS and LGPS) for all staff. For more information on what it is like to work for the Trust, and the benefits you could access, please see our “Working in RLT” guide.
This role includes regulated activity relevant to children.
The school reserves the right to consider and interview candidates ahead of the closing date if appropriate. An offer may be made to an exceptional candidate in this instance.
If you would like to have a confidential conversation with Bryony McCraw, about the role, prior to application, then please email bmccraw@bartonparkprimary.org or telephone 01865 415800
The River Learning Trust and Barton Park Primary School are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing extremism. The Trust is required to conduct a variety of checks and online searches about you as part of their recruitment process in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. It is an offence to apply for certain roles within schools if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.
For all RLT Safer Recruitment Documentation candidates should click on the following link RLT Safer Recruitment Documents for Candidates. Please see our website for up to date policies including our Child Protection and Behaviour Policies.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. For further guidance for applicants click on this link List of offences that are not filtered
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
The River Learning Trust and Barton Park Primary School are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing extremism.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About Barton Park Primary School
- Organisation type
- Free School, ages 2 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- Size
- 193 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
Barton Park School is a new primary school, including a nursery, on the Barton Park Housing Development situated on the outskirts of the City of Oxford. Our school opened in September 2020 to children in reception and a mixed years 1 & 2 class. The school will grow over the coming years with a final capacity of 315, with a potential to expand further to 420, subject to community demand.
Our place within the heart of a new and developing community, with easy walking, cycle and bus routes, is a perfect location for families and staff alike. Our lovely new building and the fantastic facilities available on site, along with our neighbouring sports pavilion, make for a very special place for children to learn and flourish - and for teaching staff to teach.
We have high aspirations for all our children. Our curriculum is designed to provide children with high quality, rigorous and engaging learning opportunities. Enquiry and creativity are central to our learning, and these principles are underpinned by a solid foundation in the key skills. We aim to build on each child’s natural curiosity and help them become enquiring, resilient and confident learners, able to communicate their ideas to both peers and adults. Quality teaching, targeted support and enriching, open-ended learning opportunities - alongside well planned indoor and outdoor environments - allow all children to develop their thinking skills, independence and individual talents.
Our six school values were chosen in collaboration with the school community: respect, kindness, equality, independence, perseverance, curiosity. It is important to us that these values reflect both emotional and intellectual growth and that they can be embraced by everyone within our diverse community.
Barton Park is committed to offering a variety of extra-curricular activities after school and developing these opportunities as we grow. Our children already enjoy access to dance, sports, art and music clubs, led by experts and have had the chance to perform on the stage at Pegasus Theatre and The Town Hall. Such experiences are key to fostering confidence and self-belief, as well as extending horizons and understanding of others.
School location
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